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Friday, October 18, 2019
Vol. 7, No. 42
FORUM ON STATE CLIMATE CHANGE MEASURES
N. HEMPSTEAD TO BROADCAST PLANNERS
ASSESSMENT BILL OVERRIDE FAILS
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Council not told of park changes: De Giorgio
SPEAKING OUT
Board wasn’t informed of work changes at Clinton Martin, says councilwoman BY R O S E W E L D ON No change orders for the problem-fraught Clinton G. Martin Park project were brought before the North Hempstead Town Board, according to Councilwoman Dina De Giorgio. The New Hyde Park public park and pool is the subject of a hotly contested legal case between the town and Wantagh-based contractor Gramercy Group. The town originally granted a contract to Gramercy in 2017 for a $19.4 million bid to renovate the then50-year-old park, which increased to $23 million once additional refurbishments and additions were built. In May, Public Works Commissioner Paul DiMaria, whose office oversaw the repairs, wrote in a letter to Gramercy that some work, including domestic water piping, the pool’s overflow system and a sump that was not connected to a drain, had not been completed on
time. The contractor replied in a letter that there were discrepancies between what was presented in the contract and what was present on site. Now, the town is withholding $1.3 million for what it considers unfinished business, and Gramercy Group is claiming an additional $1.5 million in unpaid debts, a conflict that will play out in Bankruptcy Court. DiMaria resigned from his post effective Oct. 4. De Giorgio, whose 6th District represents Port Washington, Plandome and Flower Hill among other areas and who was a lawyer prior to her public service career, said in an interview that she had asked the town attorney about the matter in a series of emails. “The fact that we’re in court means somebody dropped the ball somewhere,” De Giorgio said. “So I’m sure there’s plenty of blame to go around, but the fact that we’re Continued on Page 50
PHOTO BY ROSE WELDON
Town of North Hempstead Councilwoman Dina De Giorgio is responding to criticism over a perceived lack of transparency from her Democratic opponent, Mariann Dalimonte. See story on page 19.
Plandome Road parking extended to two hours BY R O S E W E L D ON
At a meeting last Thursday, the board unanimously Parking on Plandome Road passed an ordinance changing in Manhasset has been ex- the parking limit that had been tended to two hours from one proposed by Councilwoman by the North Hempstead Town Veronica Lurvey. Stephanie Solomon, coBoard.
president of the Manhasset Chamber of Commerce, said during the meeting’s public hearing on the ordinance that the chamber had held “various meetings” with the town and Continued on Page 50
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